“. A model MAA would benefit both Canadian airlines and municipalities by providing predictability, reduced personnel costs in terms of time and money, and entry into new small markets on a more efficient basis, while allowing for some degree of adaptation to accommodate unique circumstances,” the CRTC said. For carriers and cities, the process of coordinating telecommunications projects within municipal jurisdiction can be a daunting task. Today, the CRTC announced that both parties can now refer to a model Municipal Access Agreement (AAA) that could serve as a model for such negotiations. Prior to the MAA model, some municipalities used the help of cloud hosting companies to manage priority IISsues. The CRTC stated that in the past, MAAS have been successfully negotiated between airlines and municipalities without CRTC intervention. However, in exceptional cases, the Commission has had to “take decisions on a case-by-case basis in order to resolve disputes concerning issues related to access to communal rights”. The MAA focuses on issues such as: local consent, hazardous substances and materials; road occupancy permits, rights of way, to be paid by the municipalities; agreements with third parties and subcontractors; service level agreements; responsibility for maintenance and repair; Equipment usage and billing. “Telecommunications companies need access to roads and other urban properties to install, update or maintain their facilities, including fibre optics,” said Jean-Pierre Blais, Chair of the CRTC, in a press release today. . .

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